The move by Dr Tim Ferner (57), a former USAF lieutenant-colonel now living in Outram, comes after his complaint to the Government over his treatment was rejected by State Owned Enterprises Minister Winston Peters.
Dunedin International Airport Ltd (DIAL) is part-owned by the Crown as well as the Dunedin City Council through Dunedin City Holdings Ltd.
Mr Peters, in a reply on behalf of the Government on Monday, said he was unable to intervene in the matter.
"Decisions regarding recruitment and hiring processes are operational in nature and are the responsibility of Dunedin Airport."
The matter had instead been referred back to the airport board's chairman, Tony Allison, "for his consideration and response", Mr Peters wrote.
Mr Allison had already released a brief written statement last month, in response to ODT questions, confirming only that he had spoken to all parties and was "satisfied with our process".
He would not elaborate at the time and declined to comment again yesterday, saying only he had "closed the matter".
Dr Ferner first featured in the ODT in 2013, when it emerged he was living quietly in Henley after a long USAF career.
His CV included a list of prominent roles within the USAF, in Japan, with Nato in Turkey and Germany, and in the United States.
It also included blowing the whistle on a multimillion-dollar scam involving a military contractor, Science Applications International Corp (SAIC).
In March, he complained to DIAL, the DCC and the Government, claiming he had been subjected to "derogatory and potentially discriminatory" statements during an interview for a part-time job at Dunedin airport.
He claimed airport chief executive Richard Roberts had told him military veterans were "too authoritarian" to work at the airport, and had questioned the authenticity of his CV, saying it was "all rubbish".
Mr Ferner had withdrawn his application as a result and instead threatened legal action.
Yesterday, Mr Ferner said he had heard nothing more from Mr Allison, and the "fairly unsatisfactory" response left him with "no other option".
"My impression is they think they are somehow unanswerable to anybody. So yes - I'll pursue legal action.
"You can't treat people like that and not expect there to be repercussions."
Related Stories
Comments
I hope he does sue and is successful! Maybe this will highlight all the non disclosure agreements signed by former employees concerning the nonsense taking place out there! About time somebody is held accountable.